oracular
Americanadjective
-
of the nature of, resembling, or suggesting an oracle.
an oracular response.
- Synonyms:
- prophetic
-
giving forth utterances or decisions as if by special inspiration or authority.
- Synonyms:
- dogmatic, authoritative
-
uttered or delivered as if divinely inspired or infallible; sententious.
-
ambiguous; obscure.
- Synonyms:
- equivocal
-
portentous; ominous.
adjective
-
of or relating to an oracle
Apollo had his oracular shrine at Delphi
-
wise and prophetic
an oracular political thriller
-
mysterious or ambiguous
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oracular
First recorded in 1625–35; from Latin ōrācul(um) oracle + -ar 1
Explanation
Something that's oracular is giving off an oracle-like vibe: mysterious, enigmatic, prophetic and probably a little weird. Oracular in the simplest terms is an adjective that means "resembling an oracle." Ancient oracles were thought to be mystic people that had some direct connection with the gods, like ancient Greece's famous Oracle at Delphi. There the oracle would sit over an open fissure in the rocks, inhaling strange fumes and speaking in oracular gibberish that had to be "interpreted" by a priest. Sounds like you might have better luck with a palm reader.
Vocabulary lists containing oracular
100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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This Week In Culture: August 30–September 4, 2020
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The Tower of Nero
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite the critical and commercial success of their debut, Oracular Spectacular, this odd couple didn’t want to play the rock star game.
From The Guardian • Feb. 10, 2018
Exactly 10 years and one day since the release of Oracular Spectacular, we are sitting at Four & Twenty Blackbirds, the band’s favourite pie shop, a few blocks up from their Prospect Park rehearsal space.
From The Guardian • Feb. 10, 2018
He laughs ruefully, then corrects himself, perhaps for the benefit of the million people who went out and bought MGMT's debut album Oracular Spectacular, stupid songs and all.
From The Guardian • Apr. 8, 2010
So is the follow up to the poptastic Oracular Spectacular any good?
From The Guardian • Mar. 22, 2010
Oracular ambiguity or statistical probability provides loopholes, and discrepancies are expunged by Faith.
From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
